ROMNEY AND GINGRICH SIDE WITH OBAMA ON CRITICAL ISSUES

Verona, PA – The more people learn about the records of both Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich, the less difference they see between them and President Obama.

Hogan Gidley, National Communications Director, said: “Three years ago the Tea Party movement began because of the explosion of the government, trampling on our freedom. Millions of Americans stood up against the bailouts, the threat of cap-and-tax, amnesty for illegal immigrants and finally the individual healthcare mandate – that stole the most personal decision you can make from you and put it into the hands of a Washington bureaucrat.

Both Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich have agreed with President Obama on these issues and there isn’t a dime’s bit of difference between them. Voters called for freedom in 2010, not more government. We cannot nominate moderates who will tell voters whatever they want to hear now, and then continue the same dangerous policies of Barack Obama.”

Gingrich “Agreed Entirely” With Romney’s Approach To Health Care In Massachusetts, Arguing That Individuals Have A “Personal Responsibility” To Purchase Health Insurance. “In a 2006 memo, Gingrich said he ‘agreed entirely’ with then-Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney’s healthcare plan, which some have said was the model for President Obama’s national reform law. Romney is one of Gingrich’s top rivals for the 2012 GOP nomination. ‘We also believe strongly that personal responsibility is vital to creating a 21st Century Intelligent Health System,’ Gingrich wrote. ‘Individuals who can afford to purchase health insurance and simply choose not to place an unnecessary burden on a system that is on the verge of collapse; these free-riders undermine the entire health system by placing the onus of responsibility on taxpayers.'” (Jonathan Easley, “Gingrich Argued For Individual Mandate In 2008,” thehill.com, 12/27/11)

A Romney-Signed 2004 Report Stated Massachusetts Was Committed To “Active Participation” To Build A Multi-State Cap And Trade Program.“Massachusetts is committed to active participation in the effort to develop a multi-state cap and trade program covering greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions. At the invitation of New York Governor George Pataki, Governor Romney has joined the initiative to reduce regional greenhouse gas emissions through a CO2 cap and trade program, starting with the electrical power sector.” (Gov. Mitt Romney et. al., “Massachusetts Climate Protection Plan,” Spring/04)

GINGRICH:

Gingrich Called A Cap-And-Trade Plan “Very, Very Good” And “Frankly, It’s Something I Would Strongly Support.” Gingrich: “I think if you have mandatory carbon caps combined with a trading system, much like we did with sulfur, and if you have a tax-incentive program for investing in the solutions, that there’s a package there that’s very, very good. And frankly, it’s something I would strongly support.” (“Interview With New Gingrich,” www.pbs.org, 02/15/07)

ALL THREE SUPPORTED AMNESTY

ROMNEY:

Romney found efforts to legalize illegal immigrants like Arizona Senator John McCain’s and former President Bush’s to be “reasonable proposals” back in 2005. Commonsense conservative voters realize that any proposal to legalize illegal immigrants, which does not first require illegals to depart the U.S. and apply legally from their home countries, constitutes amnesty. “In a November 2005 interview with the Globe, Romney described immigration proposals by McCain and others as ‘quite different’ from amnesty, because they required illegal immigrants to register with the government, work for years, pay taxes, not take public benefits, and pay a fine before applying for citizenship. ‘That’s very different than amnesty….It’s saying you could work your way into becoming a legal resident of the country by working here without taking benefits and then applying and then paying a fine.’ (Scott Helman, “Romney’s words grow hard on immigration,” Boston Globe, www.boston.com, 3/16/2007)

GINGRICH:

In A November Debate, Gingrich Suggested Other Republicans Reconsider Their Opposition To Amnesty For Illegal Immigrants. “In his first debate since jumping into the lead in the polls, Newt Gingrich took the lead on a controversial topic Tuesday night when he suggested that his fellow Republicans might reconsider their outright opposition to amnesty for illegal immigrants. ‘I do not believe that the people of the United States are going to take people who’ve been here for a quarter of a century … [and] separate them from their families and expel them,’ Gingrich said during a discussion about illegal immigration and border security.” (Kim Geiger, “Gingrich ‘Prepared To Take The Heat’ With Talk Of Amnesty,” Los Angeles Times, 11/22/11)

Gingrich Claimed He Was Prepared To “Take The Heat” In His Support Of Amnesty For Illegal Immigrants Because His Position Was “Humane.” Gingrich: “I don’t believe that the party that says it’s the party of the family is going to say it’s going to destroy families that have been here for more than a quarter of a century. … I’m prepared to take the heat in saying: Let’s be humane in enforcing the law.” (Kim Geiger, “Gingrich ‘Prepared To Take The Heat’ With Talk Of Amnesty,” Los Angeles Times,11/22/11)

ALEXANDER HAMILTON: “Of those men who have overturned the liberties of republics, the greatest number have begun their career by paying an obsequious court to the people, commencing demagogues and ending tyrants.”